Honkai, why do you only play high-end games?

Jie Er spoke seriously and solemnly, trying to express the information she knew accurately so that her subsequent request would seem as reasonable as possible.

"I don't know why, but the trees in that forest were severely damaged. Perhaps because they were so badly injured, they couldn't help but go crazy after escaping..."

Jier couldn't help but sigh when he thought of the fallen trees he saw.

Yuno had been listening attentively, and at this point she couldn't help but ask,

"So what is the trouble you're talking about?"

"That's exactly the trouble I'm talking about."

Jier continued, his tone still serious.

"There are no similar traces anywhere near the destroyed forest. This is the same no matter which direction you extend it from. This gives me a very bad guess..."

"This Houkai beast might be different from any of the lower-tier Houkai beasts we've studied or encountered before. It might have the special ability to blend into the air or the earth, allowing it to disappear so completely. Or, it might simply possess the ability to change its size—from a Houkai beast as big as a mountain to a tiny one, then hide itself..."

"The first guess suggests it might be a higher-level Honkai beast beyond our ability to handle; the second suggests it possesses considerable intelligence. Either way, it's definitely bad news in my opinion!"

Jier said with some worry,

"I have submitted the intelligence I have gathered to headquarters and requested support, but I have yet to receive a response."

"..."

Otto was speechless when he heard this.

"But it's very likely still lurking around this city, or even sneaking into a corner of the city without anyone noticing. It could attack again at any time!"

Before, when her teammates were here, Jie'er had to appear calm and confident. But now that her teammates were not here, Jie'er finally expressed all her inner anxiety and panic.

"And my team, myself included, may not be able to stop it at all! If that happens, many people will die. Many, many people!"

"...Ms. Jie'er, don't be anxious. Please speak slowly if you have anything to say."

I don't know what will was taking the lead, but Yuno said these words of comfort.

"Ha... Sorry, I lost my composure a bit. Don't take it to heart."

Jie Er sighed deeply, then smiled apologetically, calmed himself down, and said,

"You're a C-rank Valkyrie directly under headquarters. Logically, no matter from which perspective, you shouldn't be involved in something like this..."

"But I know you're very powerful, stronger than me and Anna. Even when Anna's team was severely injured, the Honkai beast still chose to retreat and has disappeared ever since. I know it must have been you who caused this!"

The devastated forest, covered with purple-red blood, gave Jier the most powerful proof.

Jier finally expressed her request.

"I'm just an A-rank Valkyrie. Anna is no match for it, and neither am I. If we encounter it, Anna might survive, but I might not."

When it comes to her own life and death, Jier acts as if she doesn't care; but she has other things that she cares about.

"My teammates are even worse than me. They will die too! And the residents of this city, they know nothing and can't do anything to resist!"

"So many lives are at stake...but I can't protect them, and them too! So, I need your help!"

When it came to the emotional part, Jier couldn't help but grab Yuno's cold hands and looked at her with pleading eyes.

"We don't know when support from headquarters will arrive. Until then, you're the only one who can defeat that Honkai beast in time and protect them and their people!"

"Captain Yuno, I know this request is a bit presumptuous. But please, for Captain Anna's sake, help me!"

Although Jier knew that given the status difference between an "A-class Valkyrie" and a "C-class Valkyrie", she was fully qualified to directly order her to join the operation, the obvious power gap between the two sides prevented her from doing so and she could only play the emotional card.

Moreover, after experiencing some things and knowing some inside stories, she more or less had a prejudice against the Valkyries who were directly under the headquarters.

What's more, the abnormal situation that Yuno, who has the strength comparable to that of an S-class Valkyrie but can only obtain the qualification of a C-class Valkyrie, simply makes the strangeness of the matter obvious.

But the situation is too urgent right now, and because of Anna's relationship, I try to pull in this helper who is not sure whether he is reliable.

I hope Anna's trust in her is indeed worth it, Jier thought with a bit of bittersweetness.

"...Captain Jie'er, I promise you."

I don't know whether these words were Yuno's or Otto's.

"I will cooperate with your actions. However, if any unexpected situations arise, I ask for your forgiveness."

"Really? Thank you so much."

Seeing that "Yunuo" was unexpectedly easy to talk to, Jier couldn't help but gain a lot of confidence in her. She couldn't help but relax at this moment after being anxious and nervous for the past few days.

Just as Jie Er breathed a sigh of relief and her nerves relaxed, the long-pressed fatigue finally came over her, making her feel dizzy and her limbs heavy. She couldn't help but sit down on the bench in the corridor.

"Sorry, Yuno..."

Jier forced himself to raise his head and gave an apologetic smile.

"Please allow me... to rest for a little... just for a moment..."

Fortunately, my teammates are not here...

Just before falling into a deep sleep, Jier had some strange thoughts in his mind.

Yuno looked at her quietly, then suddenly stood up, walked to her side, and put his coat on her.

Then he quietly returned to his original position and continued to sit quietly without saying a word.

Chapter 110: The Language of the Forest

In fact, in a sense, Jier's worries were completely self-indulgent, because no one would regard them as a threat, let alone take them seriously. The jackals would not be interested in targeting them at all.

This statement may seem a bit too cruel, but it is often the case.

Whether it was Jier himself or the entire Snow Lotus team, they could only be considered as interference in this "hunting game" or insignificant soldiers. Or, like this huge city, they were just part of the "background board".

The hunters who actually participate in this game, on this sufficiently wide stage, carefully hide themselves while looking for opportunities to send fatal invitations to their desired prey - and the other party, as well as another "other party" involved, happen to hold similar attitudes.

Under this premise, both Jier's own worries and her entire Snow Lotus team's seriousness in dealing with this matter seemed so ignorant and ridiculous, as if they had no meaning from the beginning.

But in this world, all the "meanings" are originally flowers that bloom from countless "meaninglessness" accumulated bit by bit.

At least, Captain Jier's sudden request gave Otto a logical reason to stay. Otherwise, she, a mere C-rank Valkyrie, could have been sent back to headquarters on the pretext of "obstructing official duties by staying here."

Although Otto could certainly find reasons such as "Yuno wants to avenge her good friend" to allow himself to stay here smoothly.

But no matter what kind of weapon is used, it will seem too deliberate, which may cause dissatisfaction among the Snow Lotus Team, and in turn may arouse the vigilance of the "prey" - if the other party is as vigilant as oneself.

So no matter what, being actively invited to join the Snow Lotus Team to participate in the investigation is definitely the most impeccable opportunity to once again "expose" oneself to the other party's vision in a smooth and reasonable manner.

Then, comes the much-loved segment of “the hunter and the prey exchanging identities.”

"Haha. My destined Valkyries, whether they're at headquarters or stationed anywhere in the world, their noble qualities are equally inspiring to be admired from the bottom of one's heart..."

Otto clapped his hands and sighed.

"Oh, that's a nice thing to say. I just wonder what those Valkyries who died with their eyes wide open over the past five hundred years would think of hearing these words?"

Of course, Xukong Wanzang would not miss any opportunity to mock Otto. This was the only way for him to resist.

"Oh, right. And those poor little people you tricked into your lab with all sorts of excuses...tsk tsk tsk, very few of them ever managed to walk out alive!"

"Haha, when they were still alive, when was I ever stingy with my praise and compliments? Whether I was telling others about it or praising them in person, it was always like this... Xukong Wanzang, ah Xukong Wanzang. You've been with me for five hundred years. Isn't this enough for you to see?"

Otto did not take offense at all to the other party's feeble ridicule and accusations, but instead accepted them with a smile.

"Besides, in order to achieve the goal of 'salvation', some necessary sacrifices are always unavoidable. Do you really need a junior like me to teach you the truth behind this, Mr. Xukong Wanzang from the Twilight Era?"

"..."

Xukong Wanzang was silent for a long time, and finally couldn't help but sneered.

"Otto, Otto, you are so hypocritical that it's disgusting."

"hehe, thanks for your complement."

"...To allow someone like you to become a leader, humans are truly a pathetic race."

……

The "friendly communication" between Otto and Xukong Wanzang has never been heard by others. It has been like this for five hundred years and it is still the same now.

In the world outside of consciousness, Yuno has already arrived at the "remains of the battlefield" in the forest with Captain Jier.

"Captain, you're back! Uh..."

When the team members who stayed on guard saw the two returning, they first greeted the captain happily, and then were frightened by "Yuno" who followed closely behind.

"Don't worry. Let me introduce you. This is Team Member Yuno."

Although Anna had briefly introduced the two parties when they first arrived at the Snow Lotus team, Captain Jie Er once again took the trouble to introduce his team members to Yuno one by one, and then briefly explained the cause and effect to his team members, and finally concluded,

"Until this incident is over, Yuno will be our companion. Please remember to take good care of your new companion..."

Even though they were just temporary teammates, Jier wanted to make his team more harmonious.

"...Is that so? Was my earlier nervousness impolite?"

"With Team Yuno joining us, I'm sure we'll be able to defeat that big guy, right?"

The team members have always obeyed the captain's requests unconditionally, and at this moment they quickly convinced themselves to accept reality.

Vice Captain Anna's good friend, even if he looks a little scary, shouldn't be difficult to talk to, right?

The Valkyries quietly comforted themselves in their hearts.

This place seemed like a hole that suddenly appeared in the dense forest. The huge trees that several people had to hug were crushed, and broken stumps and trunks were scattered everywhere, revealing the hideous and ugly fractures.

Whether it was the broken ends of the trees, the intact wood, or the branches and leaves that had fallen to the ground but still looked lively, there were spots of purple-red marks everywhere, but they had all dried up long ago.

Yuno looked around briefly and asked Jier in confusion,

"What did you bring me here for?"

"This is the 'clue' I told you about before. Look, no matter which direction I look, I can't find any clues to follow. It's like they appeared out of thin air."

Jie Er took Yuno for a careful walk, showing her the well-preserved "crime scene" carefully, and then explained with some resignation,

"I've heard Anna introduce you to Team Yuno before. Your special ability seems to be related to plants. So I'd like you to see if you can find any hidden clues."

"I understand. Let me try."

"Yuno" showed a look of understanding, then walked away a few steps quietly and closed her eyes.

Dozens of green vines of varying thickness suddenly extended from her back, arms, and feet. They grew rapidly with a rustling sound, and then penetrated deeply into the ground, or connected with the broken trees that had not yet withered.

"Ah! What is this?"

The Valkyrie team members not far away were frightened by this somewhat terrifying scene and cried out in surprise. After being glared at by the quick-witted Jier, they all covered their mouths with their hands. Their uneasy eyes quickly met with each other, conveying the panic of their respective owners.

"What happened? Is she the monster we're looking for? Captain Anna was injured by her, right?"

One look was a little terrified.

"Don't let your imagination run wild! She was invited by the vice-captain and the captain. She's a companion! Right?"

One of his eyes looked a little weak.

"Is this also considered... a Valkyrie? Why does it look so terrifying?"

One look was a little confused.

……

"Ugh……"

Jier sighed. Honestly, even though I'd been somewhat prepared for this after hearing Anna describe Yuno's situation, seeing this scene still made my hair stand on end. Even I was like this, let alone my teammates.

But after all, things had to be done at a more urgent level, so Jier had to make a "calm down" gesture to them, and then patiently waited for Yuno's news.

"How could this be?"

Yuno suddenly retracted the vines that had extended outwards, opened a pair of confused eyes, and looked at her hands in confusion.

"My ability has lost its effect?"

She lives in symbiosis with the plant-type Honkai beast and possesses an interesting ability, which is the ability to "talk" to plants.

Plants are not without perception of the outside world.

They are also able to sense gravity, allowing their roots to grow precisely underground rather than spreading upwards;

They can sense the direction of sunlight and rain, and expand their branches and leaves to where they can absorb the most sunlight.

They can detect subtle differences in soil moisture, allowing them to pinpoint water sources...